Meat-slitting machine



J. P. sPANG 2,171,900

MEAT-'SLITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. EO, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 5, 1939.

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Sept. 5, 1939. J. P. sPANG 2,171,900

MEAT-SLITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. zo, 195e 4 sheets-sheet s 'Joseph P. Spcmg` ATTyS Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 16 Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to a meat-slitting'machine of the type adapted to cut two series of slits in a slice of meat with the slits of one series crossing those of the other, and particularly to a Ymeat-slitting machine of this type which is constructed to cut slits in both sides of a slice of meat.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a meat-slitting machine having novel means .for varying the depth of the slit which is made in a slice, and another ob-ject is to provide a novel construction by which the depth of 1the slit made on each side of the slice may be varied.

A further object of the invention is toprovide a novel construction by which the depth of the slit which is cut in either face of the slice of meat can be varied independently sol that it is possible to cut a relatively shallow or a relatively deep slit in one face of the meat without varying the depth of the slit cut in the other face thereof.

Other objects of the invention are to improve generally meat-slitting machines in the particulars hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated a selected embodiment thereof;

Fig. 1 is a side View of a machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view with a part broken out;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 6, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view illustrating the adjustment for varying simultaneously the depth of the cut on both the top and the bottom of the slice;

Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the adjustment for varying the depth of the cut on the upper face of the slice without varying the depth of the cut on the lower face;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing the means for adjusting the upper knives;

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are views illustrating different ways in` which a slice of meat may be slit by my improved machine;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional View showing the manner in which the shaft 48 is mounted in the frame.

Fig. 12 is a similar view showing the manner in which the shaft 50 is mounted in the frame.

My improved machine is of that type in which the meat is slit by means of rotary disk knives, and the cutting of the slits on both sides of a slice of meat is accomplished by employing twoy sets of rotary knives between which the slice of meat is fed.

In the drawings I indicates a suitable frame on which the knives are supported, 2 indicates a set of upper slitting knives which are mounted on a suitable shaft 3 journalled in the frame I, and 4 indicates a set of lower slitting knives situated beneath the knives 2 and which are carried by a shaft 5 also journalled in the frame I.

As stated above the slice of meat I to be slit is fed between the two sets of knives, and I have provided a supporting bed I for supporting the meat while it is being acted on by the knives. This supporting bed 'I is in the form of a grid comprising fingers 8 which extend between the knives 4 of the lower set. The bed I is adjustable, and the position into which it is adjusted determines the relative depth of the slits on the upper and lower faces of the slice 6.

The knife shafts 3 and 5 may be rotated by any suitable means, the direction of rotation of the shafts being such that the knives 2 and l! will rotate in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 3 so that the action of the knives on the meat tends to feed the meat forward, it being understood that the slice of meat will be delivered to the supporting bed I from the right in Fig. 3.

For rotating the knives I propose to use a suitable motor 9 which may be carried on a motorsupporting platform I0 with which the frame I is provided. A driving belt II connects a pulley I2 on the motor shaft to a driving pulley I3 fast on the knife shaft 3, and the two knife shafts 3 and 5 are connected through a suitable train of gearing which provides for the desirable adjustment of `the shafts relative to each other. The knife shaft 3 has a gear I4 fast thereon which meshes with an intermediate gear I5, the latter meshing with a second intermediate gear I@ journalled on a stud I1 carried by the frame and also meshing with a gear I8 fast on the knife shaft 5. The rst intermediate gear i5 is mounted on a stud i9 carried by a radius arm 2t pivotally mounted on the stud Il, and the stud I9 and shaft 3 are connected by a link 2i which maintains the gears I4 and I5 constantly in mesh with each other. This construction provides the necessary driving connection between the knife shafts 3 and 5 while permitting the shafts to be adjusted toward and from each other as will be presently described.

Any suitable means for delivering a slice 5 of meat to the supporting bed 1 may be employed without departing from the invention. In the construction shown I have illustrated for this purpose a feeding table or platform 22 adapted to have a reciprocating motion toward and from the bed 1, said kplatform being shown as supported on suitable supporting rolls 23 that are carried by the frame. This platform is adapted to move from its rearward position shown in full lines Fig. 3 forwardly into the dotted line position thereby to carry the slice 6 of meat into position to be engaged by the rotating knives 2 and 4. 'I'he forward edge of the platform 22 is desirably provided with slots 24 into which the knives 4 enter when the platform is in its forward position. This platform 22 is designed to be manually moved from the full to the dotted line position, and in using the machine a slice of meat 6 is placed on the front edge of the platform 22 when the latter is in its retracted position, as shown in full lines Fig. 3, and the platform is moved forwardly manually intol the dotted line position thereby to carry the slice 6 into a position to be acted on by the knives. As soon as the knives engage the meat the friction of the knives against the meat will feed the latter forward, withdrawing it from the platform 22 and feeding it over the bed 1. On the delivery side of the bed 'I there is a feed roll 25 which is rotated in the direction of the arrow c in Fig. 3 and which assists in giving the meat a continuous feeding movement as it is being delivered from the slitting knives. The slice of meat is delivered from the feed roll 25 onto a receiving platform 26.

21 indicates yieldingly-mounted stripper fingers which are situated between the knives 2 of the upper set and are carried by a suitable head 28, said stripper fingers having the construction illustrated in my co-pending application Serial No. 91,676, filed July 21, 1936, and serving to prevent the meat from being lifted off from the bed 1 by the rotation of the knives 2.

The passage of the slice of meat 6 between the knives 2 and 4 will cut one series of slits in the top face of the meat and another series of slits in the under face of the meat, the slits of both series extending in the same direction.

The machine herein shown is so constructed that after one series of slits have thus been cut in each face of the meat the meat will be fed to other knives which will operate to cut a second series of slits in each face of the meat which cross the slits of the first series made in said face. For this purpose the machine comprises a second set of upper knives 29 carried by a shaft Vl and a second set of lower knives 36 carried by a shaft 52, said shafts being at right angles to the shafts 3 and 5 of the knives 2 and 4. The slice 6 of meat is delivered to the knives 29, 3S by means of the receiving platform 26, the latter having a movement toward and from the knives for this purpose. The direction of travel of the slice of meat as it is fed between the two sets of knives 29, 30 is at right angles to that which it had as it was fed between the knives 2 k and 4, with the result that the slits which are out by the knives 29, 30 extend at right angles to those which were cut by the knives 2'and 4. Associated with the sets of knives 29, 33 is a meat-supporting bed 3| which supports the meat while it is being fed between the knives. This meat-supporting bed is` constructed similarly to the bed '1, it being formedrwith a plurality of fingers 32 that are situated between the knives 36 and being capable of adjustment to vary the depth of the slits made in the slice of meat.

The platforms 22 and 26 are connected together so that they operate in unison, although in opposite directions, that is, the connection between these platforms is such thatl `when the platform 22 is moved forwardly from the full to the dotted line position Fig. 3 the platform 26 will be moved rearwardly away from the knives 29, 30 and into a position to receive the sliced meat from the knives 2 and 4.

The platform 22 is connected by a link 33 to the upper end of an arm 34 which is rigid with a rock shaft 35 that is journalled in the frame I. This rock shaft has another arm 36 rigid therewith which is connected by a link 31 to an arm 38 fast on a second rock shaft 39 also journalled in the frame. The rock `shaft 39 is connected through beveled gears 40 to a third rock shaft 4| to which is fast an arm 42, the upper end of which is connected to the platform 26 through the medium of a link 43. The rock shaft 35 has a handle 44 fast thereon by which the operator may manipulate the platforms. This connection between the platforms is such that, as stated above, when the platform 22 is moved forwardly from the full to the dotted line position Fig. 3, the platform 26 will be moved rearwardly into the dotted line position Fig. 2, while, when the platform 22 is returned to its retracted position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the platform 26 will be moved forwardly thereby to deliver the slice 6 of meat to the slitting knives 29, 30 as shown in Fig. 4. With the construction above described, therefore, the slice 6 of meat is first fed between the knives 2 and 4, which operate to cut slits in each face of the meat, the slit meatV being delivered by the roll 25 onto the platform 26 which is then in its retracted position. When the operator actuates the handle 44 to bring the platform 22 into its retracted position the platform 26 will move forwardly, but in a direction at right angles to, the movement of the platform 22, thereby to deliver the slit meat to the slitting knives 29, 30 Y as shown in Fig. 4, said knives operating to feed the meat forward and at the same time cut slits in both faces thereof which are at right angles to the slits cut by the knives 2 and 4.

84 indicates a yielding stop, shown in the form of a bar, which serves to prevent the meat from sliding ofi` from the platform 26 as it is delivered thereto by the knives 2 and 4 and roll 25. This stop bar is shown as carried by pins 45 slidably mounted in the portion 46 of the frame, said bar being backed by springs 41 which surround the pins and are situated between the bar and the frame.

I have stated above that the meat-supporting beds 'l and 3l are adjustable, thereby providing for cutting slits of different depth in both the upper and the under side of the slice of' meat. For this purpose the fingers 8 constituting the supporting bed 'I are fast on a rock shaft 48 that is journalled in the frame and is located at one side of a vertical line drawn through the knife shafts 3 and 5 so that a turning movement of the rock shaft in one direction will swing theY fingers toward the knives 2 as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 5, while a turning movement of said rock shaft in the other direction will swing the fingers away from the knives 2 into a position shown in full lines in Fig. 5. The depth of the cuts or slits which are made in the under side of the slice of meat by the knives 4 depends upon the adjustment of the bed l. When said bed is in the full line position Figs. 3 and 5, the slits cut will be deeper than when the bed is in the dotted line position Fig. 5.

The rock shaft 43 has fast thereon at one end thereof a controlling arm 49 by which the shaft can be turned to raise and lower the bed 1. 61 is an indicating quadrant securedv to the frame and cooperating with the arm 49 to indicate the adjusted position of the bed 1. Such indicating quadrant may be provided with appropriate indication marks for this purpose.

A similar construction is shown for the bed 3|, the ngers 32 of which are fast on a rock shaft 5|] that is journalled in the frame, and which is located at one side of a vertical line drawn through the knife shafts 5|, 52 and has fast thereon an actuating arm 'H by which the rock shaft can be turned. Since both the beds 1 and 3| are pivoted to turn about axes which are at one side of a line joining the upper and lower knife shafts, it follows that the portion of the bed supporting the portion of the meat on which the knives are acting will have a rising and falling movement as the shafts 43 or 5G are turned, and it is this rising and falling movement which is referred to as the vertical adjustment of the bed. The shafts 48 and 5E may be held in their bearings with suiiicient friction to retain them in any operative position into which they are adjusted. Each shaft is shown as rectangular in cross section and each shaft has fast thereon at each end a bushing S3 which is journalled in the frame I. These bushings have a suiiciently tight fit in the frame to provide the necessary friction to hold the beds in any position in which they may be adjusted.

In addition to the adjustment of the supporting beds 'l and 3|, there is also provided means for adjusting the upper knives 2 toward and from the lower knives 4 and also adjusting the upper knives 29 toward and from the lower knives 35. This knife-adjusting means is similar to that described in my co-pending application Serial No. 91,676, filed July 2l, 1936. Each of the knife shafts 3 and 5| are journalled eccentrically in bearing members 12 which are rotatably mounted in the frame I. The two bearing members 'i2 for the shaft 3 are connected by a yoke 53 carrying a handle 54, and the two bearing members l2 for the shaft 5| are connected by a yoke 55 carrying a handle 56. The swinging of the handle 54 and the yoke 53 operates to turn the bearing member I2 in the frame, and because of the eccentric mounting of the shaft 3 this turning movement shifts the knives 2 toward or from the knives 4 thereby varying the distance between the knives. In the same way the knives 25 may be moved toward or from the knives 30. These adjustments provide for slitting meat in various ways, some of which are shown in Figs. 8, 9 and l0. If the upper knives are adjusted so that they are spaced only a slight distance from the lower knives, then by properly adjusting the bed plates and 3| the slice 6 may be slit as shown in Fig. 8 with the slits 51 in the upper face of the meat of substantially the same depth as the slits 58 in the lower face thereof, said slice having a thin unslit portion between the upper and lower slits.

By raising the supporting beds 'l and 3| into the dotted line position Fig. 5 without making any adjustment in the upper knives 2 and 29, the slice of meat will be slit as shown in Fig. 9 with the upper slits 51 considerably deeper than the lower slits 58.

If the upper knives are adjusted so as to space them further from the lower knives, then the slice of meat may be slit as shown in Fig. 1G with relatively shallow slits on both the top and the bottom face and with an unslit portion of considerable thickness between the top and bottom slits.

It is also possible to adjust the beds l and 3| so that the meat-supporting surfaces thereof will be entirely above the lower knives 4 and 30 in which case the slits in the meat would be formed entirely in the upper face.

I will preferably arrange the upper and lower knives on their respective shafts so that each upper knife is directly over a lower knife. The upper knives may be adjusted so as to bring their peripheries just clear of the lower knives, and when so adjusted the two opposed knives would cut clear through the slice. With this adjustment a slice of meat could be cut into cubes or the device may be used for cubing Vegetables.

I claim:

l. A meat-slitting machine comprising an upper set of rotary knives and a lower set of rotary knives, a pivotally mounted meat-supporting bed to support a slice of meat as it is fed between the two sets of knives, and means to turn the bed about its pivot into any one of a plurality of operative positions each at a different distance from the axis of rotation of either set of knives Vwhereby the relative depths of the slits cut on opposite sides of the meat can be varied.

2. A meat-slitting machine comprising an upper set of rotary knives, a lower set of rotary knives situated beneath the upper set, means for feeding a slice of meat between the two sets of knives thereby to cut slits on both sides of the slice simultaneously, a vertically adjustable meatsupporting bed to support the slice of meat as it is fed between the two sets of knives, means for adjusting the bed vertically relative to the knives, thereby to vary the relative depths of the slits cut on opposite sides of the slice and means to adjust the knives of the two sets toward and from each other.

3. A meat-slitting machine comprising an upper set of rotary knives, a lower set of rotary knives situated beneath the up'per set, means for feeding a slice of meat between the two sets of knives thereby to cut slits on both sides of the slice simultaneously, a meat-supporting bed to support the slice of meat as it is fed between the two sets of knives, said bed being pivotally mounted for adjustment about an axis at one side of a line connecting the axes of the two sets of knives, and means to adjust the knives of the two sets toward and from each other.

4. A meat-slitting machine comprising an upper set of rotary knives, a lower setl of rotary knives situated beneath the upper set, means for feeding a slice of meat between the two sets of knives thereby to cut slits on both sides of the slice simultaneously, a pivotally mounted meatsupporting bed to support the slice of meat as it is fed between the two sets of knives, means to adjust the knives of the two sets toward and from each other, and means to swing the bed into any one of a plurality of operative positions at different distances from the axis of rotation of either set of knives thereby to vary the relative depths of the slits cut in opposite sides of fthe meat.

5. A meat-slitting machine comprising an upper set of rotary knives, a lower set of rotary knives situated directly beneath the knives of the upper set, a meat-supporting bed pivotally mounted to turn about an axis at one side of a line connecting the axes of the two sets of knives, and means toturn said bed about its axis into any one of a plurality of operative positions.

6. A meat-slitting machine comprising an up'- per set of rotary knives, a lower set of rotary knives, a second set of upper rotary knives and a second set of lower rotary knives arranged at right angles to the irst sets of knives,l a reciprocating feed platform for feeding a slice of meat tothe first sets of knives, a vreciprocating receiving platform to receive meat from said knives and deliver it to the second sets of knives, and means for operating said platforms in timed relation.

7. A meat-slitting machine comprising an upper set of rotary knives, a lower set of rotary knives, a second set of upper. rotary knives and a second set of lower rotary knives arranged ai right angles to the rst sets of knives, a reciprocating feed platform for feeding a slice of meat to the first sets of knives, a reciprocating receiving platform to receive meat from said knives and deliver it to the second sets of knives, said receiving platform having a reciprocating movement in a direction a-t right angles to that of the feeding platform, and means to operate said platforms in timed relation.

8. A meat-slitting machine comprising an upper set of rotary knives and a lower set of rotary knives arranged one above the other, a second set of upper rotary knives and a second set of lower rotary knives arranged at right angles to the first sets of knives, a vertically adjustable meat-supporting bed associated with the first sets of knives for supporting a slice of meat as it is fed between the knives, a second vertically adjustable meat-supporting bed associated with the second sets of knives, a reciprocating feeding platform for feeding meat to the meat-supporting bed of the first sets of knives, a reciprocating receiving platform to receive the meat from said bed and feed it to the meat-supporting bed for the second sets of knives.

9. A meat-slitting machine comprising an upper set of rotary knives and a lower set of rotary knives arranged one above the other, a second set of upper rotary knives and a second set of lower rotary knives arranged at right angles to the first sets of knives, a vertically adjustable meat-suplporting bed associated with the rst sets of knives for supporting a slice of meat as it is fed between the knives, a second vertically adjustable meatsupporting bed associated with the second sets of knives, a reciprocating feeding platform for feeding meat to the meat-supporting bed of the rst sets of knives, a reciprocating receiving platform to receive the meat from said bed and feed it to the meat-supporting bed for the second sets of knives, and means to reciprocate said platforms in timed relation. x

1f). A meat-slitting machine comprising an upper set of rotary knives and a lower set of rotary knives arranged one above the other, a second set of upper rotary knives and a second set of lower rotary knives, the knives of the second sets having their axes at right angles to those of the first sets, a meat-supporting bed associated with each set of knives for supporting a slice of meat as it is fed between the two sets of knives, a reciprocating feeding platform for feeding meat to the meat-supporting bed of the: first sets of knives, a reciprocating receiving platform to receive the meat from said bed and feed it to the meat-supporting bed for the second set of knives, and means to operate said platforms in timed relation.

ll. A meat-slitting machine comprising an upper set and a lower set of rotary knives, a stationary meat-supporting bed for supporting a slice of meat as it is fed between the knives of the upper and lower sets, a second set of upper rotary knives and a second set of lower rotary knives, a second stationary meat-supporting bed for supporting the meat as it is fed between the upper and lower knives of the second sets, a recipro-A cating feeding platform to feed a slice of meat to the meat-supporting bed for the first sets of knives, a reciprocating receiving platform to receive the slit slice of meat from said bed and feed it to the meat-supporting bed for the second sets of knives, and means operating said platforms in timed relation.

12. A meat-slitting machine comprising a set of rotary knives, a stationary meat-supporting bed for supporting a slice of meat as it is fed past the knives, and a reciprocating meat-supporting platform movable toward and from the knives and adapted to support said slice and feed it to said bed and to said knives, the friction of the rotary knives on the meat serving to feed the meat over the bed and past the knives.

13. A meat-slitting machine comprising a set of rotary knives, a stationary meat-supporting platform for supporting a slice of meat as it is fed past the knives, a reciprocating feeding platform for feeding a slice of meat to said bed and to the knives, a second set of knives arranged at right angles to the knives of the first set, a second meat-supporting platform for supporting the meat as it is fed past said second knives, the frictional engagement of each set of knives with the meat operating to give the meat its feeding movement over the corresponding bed, a reciprocating receiving platform to receive the meat from the bed associated with the first set of knives and deliver said meat to the bed associated with the second set of knives, and means to operate said platforms in timed relation.

14. A meat-slitting machine comprising an upper set of rotary knives, a lower set of rotary knives, and a bed for supporting the meat as it is fed between the sets of knives, said bed being pivotally mounted to swing toward and from the axis of one set of knives into a plurality of operative positions at different distances from said axis, whereby slits of different depths can be cut in the meat.

l5. A meat-slitting machine comprising an upper and a lower set of rotary knives between which a slice of meat is fed thereby to cut slits on both sides of the slice, a stationary meat-supporting bed to support a slice of meat as it is fed between the two sets of knives and over which the slice of meat slides as it is being acted on by the knives, and means to adjust the bed vertically into a plurality of operative positions, each of which is at a different distance from the axis of rotation of either set of knives thereby to vary the relative depth of the slits cut on the opposite sides of the meat.

16. A meat-slitting machine comprising an upper and a lower` set of rotary knives between which a sliceof meat is fed thereby to cut slits in both sides of the slice, a stationary meat-supporting bed to support a slice of meat as it is fed between the two sets of knives, and over which said slice slides while being acted on by the knives, said bed being pivotally mounted, and means to adjust said bed vertically about its axis into a plurality of operative positions, each of which is at a different distance from the axis of rotation of either set of knives thereby to vary the relative depth of the slits cut in the opposite sides of the slice.

JOSEPH P. SPANG. 

